Diane M. Phillips, Realtor® Real Estate, Homes For Sale, Homes

HUD Housing Choice Vouchers - Rental Propety Owners & Tenants Needing Assistance

The housing choice voucher program is the federal government's major program for assisting very low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market. Since housing assistance is provided on behalf of the family or individual, participants are able to find their own housing where the owner agrees to rent under the program, including single-family homes, townhouses and apartments.

A housing subsidy is paid to the landlord directly by the PHA (Public Housing Agency) on behalf of the participating family. The family then pays the difference between the actual rent charged by the landlord and the amount subsidized by the program. Under certain circumstances, if authorized by the PHA, a family may use its voucher to purchase a modest home.

The role of the landlord is to provide decent, safe, and sanitary housing to a tenant at a reasonable rent. The dwelling unit must pass the program's housing quality standards and be maintained up to those standards as long as the owner receives housing assistance payments. In addition, the landlord is expected to provide the services agreed to as part of the lease signed with the tenant and the contract signed with the PHA.

Once a PHA approves an eligible family's housing unit, the family and the landlord sign a lease and, at the same time, the landlord and the PHA sign a housing assistance payments contract that runs for the same term as the lease. This means that everyone -- tenant, landlord and PHA -- has obligations and responsibilities under the voucher program.

In Carroll County: Westminster Housing office 56 West Main Street, Westminster, MD 21157 Office: 410-848-2261 Fax:4190-876-5255 OR Carroll County Housing and Community Development 10 Distillery Dr., Suite 101, Westminster, MD 21157 Office: 410-386-3600 Fax:410-876-5255 For more information online HUD.gov

You're invited ..... to meet me for coffee!

Let's talk about your home buying or selling strategy! To schedule coffee, just call me at 443-286-4375

I'm offering to buy you coffee at the coffee house of your choice in Carroll County, Maryland or surrounding areas, to discuss real estate with you, including:

1. What is the process? Where do we start?

2. What types of financing you should consider?

3. How to list your current home, and what it might be worth?

4. What about inspections?

5. What if my water heater goes up while my house is listed?

Real estate is a complex and ever changing business, you need someone with the experience & resources to guide through the process. I, Diane M. Phillips, REALTOR®, am licensed in Maryland. I can help you with any residential real estate purchase, sale or rental throughout the state, no matter what broker sign hangs out front.

Before we meet, make a list of questions for us to review. I will do my very best to answer all your questions, however, if I don't have an immediate answer, I'll get an answer and get it to you. I have the support of a 100 year old broker right by my side, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage.

It would be my pleasure to serve you! PLEASE, don't hesitate to call, 443-286-4365, I'm never too busy for you!

If you'd like to learn more about me, you can visit my website or read my blog.

No time for coffee, call or email me with your questions! ~ No strings attached

Do I live in the country ... or wild kingdom?

It's been a long, productive day. I need something light to talk about. I finally arrived home, exhausted, headed for the coffee pot and my son shows me the pictures he took.

This cute little fawn was running around my back yard.

Until.....

He decided to relax a while! SO cute.

Then, I went out side, sorry no pictures this time, and something caught my attention. When I realized what it was, a fox chasing a bunny, I made a noise because I was startled. The fox turned and looked at me as if to say "What? I gotta eat!" I may have saved a bunnies life!Happy wordless Wednesday! Blog On!

Taking the plunge: Real estate, writing, buying, selling, blogging, whatever it is, take the plunge. You are worthy of the task!

I am reading a book titled, On Writing Well, by William Zinsser in it he wrote - "Assume that you are a writer sitting down to write to write. You think your article has to be of a certain length or it won't seem important. You think about how it will look in print. You think of all the people who will read it. You think that the style must dazzle. No wonder you tighten; you are so busy thinking of your awesome responsibility to the finished article that you can't even start. Yet you vow to be worthy of the task, and, casting about for grand phrases that wouldn't occur to you if you weren't trying so hard to make an impression, you plunge in."

My oldest son, Mike, is going to college at Towson State. We have a tremendous amount in common, one of his interests is writing, mine too, however, college/school, just wasn't my thing. Last semester he shared this book with me. Once I decided to take the plunge into blogging, I asked to barrow the book.

I've had several ah-ha moments while reading this book, relating to both writing and real estate. Connecting with my clients, as well as, those who choose to read my blog; my goal in both instances is to offer value and show I am worthy of the task. Not with quantity, but with quality. Not with lingo and jargon, with plain English. You don't need to be dazzled, you need to have a clear understanding of what you are doing in the position you choose to be in, of buyer, seller, writer, whatever.

I understand the fear of plunging in. The decisions are frequently emotional, the process unique at every step of the way, there are no guarantees when human beings are involved along with huge financial commitment.

Existing honorably is an awesome responsibility in our world, take the plunge: real estate, writing, buying, selling, whatever it is, take the plunge. You are worthy of the task!

I have an awesome responsibility, being a REALTOR®. I vow to be worthy of the task, to be there every step of the way, to continue to study the market, industry laws, regulations, and trends. I vow to be by your side when you decide to take the plunge.

Second showings

Showings are opportunity knocking for sellers. It's always good news to have a showing. A buyer, 99.9% of the time, will tour the property before buying.

Second showings can be exciting. They can mean more than one thing:

Potential Buyer is.....

•1. really interested

•2. ruling it out

•3. bringing a family member or friend for a second opinion

Buyers frequently have a second look before writing an offer, not always, but some do. It's a major purchase and all parties want to be sure.

If your home is priced correctly, before long you will have a ready, willing and able buyer. Remember, stay positive, take nothing personally and negotiate.

As always, call me if I can help.